I'll Be There For You
by the-winterina
Summary: You say Hiccup and Astrid are the Ross and Rachel of Dragons? Well I guess they kinda are...but how about we try them Monica and Chandler style ;)


You last saw Hiccup and the gang being maniacally manipulated by this evil character, Viggo Grimborn, who stole the Dragon Eye from them. That's because Art Brown and the rest of the writers want to keep in suspense, waiting for another year for the third season to suddenly arise and then when it does it comes on your birthday and there's gonna be a live stream but you can't watch it because you already made plans with your family and it was too late to squeeze in watching it with all the other fans a.k.a people you actually like.

Then again, Art Brown isn't as bad as Dean DeBlois, who is supposedly gonna make all the dragons disappear in the third movie but we don't know that yet because we have to wait another two years before it comes out.

You also have to wait another year for Hiccup and Astrid to get together which supposedly are the Ross and Rachel of Dragons. People were freaked out about that because of the wishy-washy will-they-won't-they dynamic but according the show's writers, they are. I mean, we all know they're gonna get together. But how? And when? Art Brown said it was gonna be a 'slow burn.'

Well shut your mouths now little sheep because I'm about to tell you right now.

 _I'm assuming direct control._

I'm not a director. I'm a writer.

A fanfiction writer at that.

And if that doesn't say an adult writing a sex scene at least once in their story about a kids' movie then I don't know what will. But what can I say? I'm giving the people what they want now! That's more than you can say, _Brown._

HICSTRID! HICSTRID! HICSTRID!

Alright…..where was I? Oh yeah! We last saw our characters being sad that Viggo stole the Dragon Eye, Hiccup especially. Because he knew all of this was his fault. I mean, he lured the Flightmare right to them. By accident of course but he was still feeling all the guilt on his shoulders. It's been a week since all that happened though and Hiccup hadn't gotten a blink of sleep. He was too busy thinking, staring up at the ceiling while lying in bed and distantly listening to Toothless' rhythmic snoring. He was hoping that would eventually make him sleepy because over the past four years since he had that dragon he learned that he could fall asleep without that annoying noise. He's grown fond of it.

After about two hours with no visit from the Sandman Hiccup would get up and go to the clubhouse where he would play with the maces and talons pieces he got from Viggo's ship. He would try to place them strategically all over the board, trying to be like the mastermind and accounting for every scenario that could go wrong. He even took his time to try to fix the traitor's piece, Heather's piece, but it would just end up breaking even more.

He wondered if this was like being chief. Have a whole bunch of lives in your hands? Granite, he was only on Dragon's Edge, with six other lives to save (minus the dragons), but to have a whole tribe dependent on your mistakes? Even if it was just one mess-up, one slip-up?

Hiccup couldn't take it and once again came the overbearing doubt of one day having to fill his father's shoes. And those were large shoes to fill. I mean even after four years of puberty Hiccup's good foot was too skinny and narrow to fit.

The dragon rider sighed and got out of bed to go outside his post into the fresh air. He told himself that his sheep-wool sheets were suffocating him but really it was his thoughts that weren't allowing air to his lungs. Or maybe it was his nervous pumping heart.

Either way the cool summer air and the bright moon did relax him a little as he walked to the ledge and dangled his metal foot off the edge.

He has done this every night for the past week and no one had come out here. Except now. And guess who it is….

"Can't sleep?" Astrid's voice surprised him a little but I hoped it didn't surprise the readers.

Is it a coincidence that Astrid came out and not Ruff or Snotlout or anything? Nope. Because it's called a plot device idiot.

"No." Hiccup said quietly. "What about you?"

"I can't sleep either…." Astrid sighed settling down next to him.

The blonde dragon rider looked down at her hands and twiddled her thumbs as she spoke. "Been thinking about –" deep breath, like the name pained her, " – Heather. And Windshear. And what kind of torture Viggo is putting them through."

"Astrid, please, not now…" Hiccup murmured because that was just another thing that made him cold with guilt.

Yeah Astrid. Not now. This is a Hicstrid story.

"Look," she said after a minute, "you made a mistake – "

"Thanks."

" –That anyone could've made…"

"But I made it."

"And – I don't even know what was running through your head when you decided to bring the Flightmare to the dragon hunters' ship."

"Is this supposed to be helping?"

"Would you just shut up and let me speak?" Astrid growled and Hiccup whimpered a 'sorry' because to make Astrid growl was to wake up Thor's Might Hammer, a.k.a leading to a punch in the arm.

"That doesn't mean that it can't be fixed." She breathed. "And you don't have to fix it on your own, Hiccup, we'll help. All of us. Don't beat yourself up over this."

"But I am, Astrid, okay?" Hiccup huffed as he got to his feet and starting pacing the floorboards, gesturing in every way possible with his hands. "He has the Dragon Eye. And Heather. And…I can't help feeling responsible."

Astrid thought for a moment and then said slowly, "You are – "

"Thanks."

"But we'll find a way to get both of them back. Don't worry." She got to her feet and stopped the stressed dragon rider in his tracks. She cupped his face in her hands to make him look at her, make his emerald green shining eyes stare into her blue ones. "We'll make this better. I promise." And to make those parting words last in his brain a little longer, she kissed him on the cheek.

As her warm and comforting hands faded from her face, Hiccup realized how much he wanted them (and needed them) so he reached out and grabbed one before it was too late.

"Wait," he said almost child-like, which made Astrid's heart swell about three sizes, "Please. Stay." His pleading voice and the grip he had on her hand was too much for her to resist.

She smiled lightly. "Okay."

Hold up….how the hell did they end up in bed together?

I mean they were outside right? But now they both under Hiccup's covers; snuggled as tightly as bear cubs to their mother. Hiccup had his arm loosely flung over Astrid's waist as she cocooned herself into him and they would've stayed like that except for a certain dragon (who was too big for the single bed) jumped himself across the sleeping couple.

"Ow! Ow!" Hiccup said rising from his place on the pillow.

"Ugh…" Astrid groaned sitting up as well.

"Toothless…how many times do I have to tell you? You're gonna break the be –" And right in that moment the couple noticed their current situation.

Flustered, they both got off the bed and Hiccup quickly, in a not-so-fluid motion , flung his arm away from her waist and slapped her nose upwards.

"OWWWWW!" she screamed holding her nose on the other side of the bed.

"I'm sorry!" Hiccup gasped. "I'm sorry!"

She rubbed her nose and held it between her fingers and climbed on top of the bed again. "Ow ow ow ow…." She sounded nasally.

Hiccup reached his hands out not sure if it was okay to touch her or help her or….wait, help her do what?

"You've," she started then she laughed nervously, "you've got some strong hands there."

"Oh, um, thank you?" Hiccup was really confused…and so am I.

Astrid sat back on her haunches and her hands dropped to her side as the pain faded. She waited a couple seconds before she asked, she just had to ask, "Did we…?"

"Oh no!" Hiccup waved his hands. "No no no. I mean….our clothes are still on aren't they?"

That gave Astrid a little reassurance. "How did we end up like that?"

Hiccup gave her a huge shrug. "I-I don't know…" he said, his voice high.

` How could they not know? Did Hiccup _ask_ if she could sleep with him? Did _Astrid_ suggest it? In the next few seconds, they racked their brains of any memories of last night but it was like trying to remember your twenty-first birthday party and waking up with a strong hangover.

"What? Did someone come and erase our brains when we were sleeping? I seriously can't remember anything!" Astrid commented incredulously.

Astrid got off the bed and the couple walked to the front entrance and the door swung open to reveal four angry dragon riders.

"Heeeey guyssss….." Hiccup said nonchalantly…or at least he was trying to, "what's uuuuup?"

Suddenly the gang burst into a frenzy of nagging, saying stuff all at once.

"Astrid, why weren't you up this morning? You were supposed to be on patrol duty?" Fishlegs demanded.

"We could've all been captured, Astrid! Since you weren't PATROLLING THE ISLAND?" Snotlout screamed in their faces.

"Where's all our fish? I'm starving!" Ruffnut asked.

"What happened to the boar in the boar pit? Did you let it go Hiccup?" Tuffnut growled.

"Alright alright alright…" Hiccup sighed holding up his hands to back everyone up. "Tuffnut, I don't know what happened to your boar. I didn't touch it. Ruffnut, I don't know maybe you ate it all. Fishlegs, Snotlout, do you really think it's necessary to keep patrolling the island? I mean Viggo isn't coming to Dragon's Edge anytime soon. He already got what he wanted."

"I don't believe you," Tuffnut said crossing his arms.

"I don't think I ate all the fish…" Ruffnut looked deep in thought.

Hiccup felt likes his insides were going to explode. First waking up next to his best friend and now these muttonheads? "Ugh!" he growled, "Maybe your boar ate all this fish." Then he leaned over to Astrid and whispered, "Do boars eat fish?"

Astrid shrugged.

"Hey wait a minute," Snotlout said realizing something. "Why did you just come out of Hiccup's post, Astrid?"

Astrid tucked one loose hair from her braid behind her ear. Gods, she was lucky her hair wasn't a total complete mess or else that would be a dead giveaway. She cleared her throat before speaking. "Hiccup and I were planning….on how to get the Dragon Eye back."

"Did you come up with anything?" Fishlegs asked, a little disappoint they didn't ask any of them to join in on the morning conversation.

"Nothing good," Astrid replied.

Yeah because you were too busy not planning.

"Listen why don't Snotlout and Tuffnut gather up some more fish and – and Ruffnut, Fishlegs, you can go find the boar. I – I gotta go clear my head." Hiccup directed everybody as he called Toothless and started to mount him.

"What about me?" Astrid said.

"You – you just stay here." He said impatiently and with that he and Toothless took off into the sky.

"Ooh you just got dissed," Snotlout teased and Astrid didn't hesitate to walk right up to him and twist his arm which made him kneel to the ground in complete agony because gods this woman was strong.

As soon as Toothless rose above the cloud line and only crisp blue lay ahead, he leveled his wings out so that he was gliding and Hiccup could feel a soft breeze whistle through his hair. He collapsed back on his dragon and Toothless gave a little concerned roar at this act.

"What am I going to do bud?" he asked his dragon like he could speak English. "I slept with her! Astrid! Astrid Hofferson!"

Toothless rolled his eyes as he flew like he was saying, "Yeah yeah it's not a big deal. Nothing happened."

"I mean….nothing happened…but what if something did?" And just like that Hiccup couldn't stop wondering about if something did happen. Would he have been excited? Would he have been nervous? Awkward? In the past four years, Astrid had become one of his unexpected best friends (except for Toothless) and up until now everything had been platonic, save for the three kisses Astrid gave him those _exceptional_ times. But…he never kissed back. He just liked feeling a girl's lips on his own and to have it been Astrid's was a plus. Because he had a crush on her ever since he knew her. And that little fifteen-year-old boy inside him right now was jumping up and down, ecstatic that he had finally slept with a girl. Shouldn't he be bursting into fireworks right about now? Wasn't he the one who always stared at her during dragon attacks rather than the dragons? And back then she was only helping put out buildings on fire, nothing too exciting. Wasn't he the one who always snuck out of the forge, even though he knew Gobber had given him a lot of chores, just to watch her elegantly throw axes in the woods?

Shouldn't he be excited about this?

His fifteen-year-old self was, but not him.

No. Nineteen-year-old Hiccup grew. He was six foot, a now experienced dragon rider, his hair was bigger, had a metal foot…he wanted to change things about himself but…he never wanted his feelings for Astrid to go away.

….Had they?

Before his brain could elaborate on the question he heard a Deadly Nadder squawk behind him. Stormfly matched Toothless' pace as Hiccup quickly sat up like had hadn't just been reminiscing about life or Astrid.

"Hey," she said yelling over the little sky between them.

"I thought I told you to stay on the Edge," Hiccup almost growled the words. He didn't really want to see her right now, much less talk to her.

"You did," she said simply, blinking, "but we need to talk about last night."

Hiccup didn't want to talk about last night and evidently neither did Astrid but both felt like they had to. So they spotted a quiet little sandy island and aimed their dragons to land.

"Look last night was a mistake," Astrid said turning to him, eyes serious.

"Wow okay, glad we're on the same page," Hiccup muttered.

"No I mean ….I mean stuff could've happened and…." Her voice seemed to fade and she looked off into the distance, avoiding eye contact.

Hiccup stepped a little closer. He knew what she was gonna say next….but he didn't want her to say it.

"And we're best friends, Hiccup!"

Knew it.

"I don't want anything to happen to that!" She turned a little bit away from him and whispered to herself (though he could still hear it), "I should have never stayed."

Finally Hiccup took a big sigh. "No Astrid. You needed to stay." He spoke each word carefully and slowly. "I felt….lost and like I said I had barely gotten a wink since the Incident."

"Incident?" Astrid said raising an eyebrow.

"We're calling it the Incident from now on." Hiccup said quickly before continuing and he ignored Astrid's smirk. "But last night I finally got some rest. I dreamt of wonderful things instead of nightmares and…not being able to sleep at all…," And he chose his next words _really_ carefully. "I think it was because of you, Astrid."

Astrid stared at him wide-eyed, her smirk had dissipated and she was a little panic-stricken. Had she really been able to make Hiccup's fears and nightmares go away…just by sleeping next to him?

Then Astrid realized…they were on the same page. Because as tired as Hiccup was she was tired as well but now she couldn't help feeling a little more well-rested, minus the jolt of surprise from this morning.

"Me too," Astrid finally admitted.

Hiccup looked up because he couldn't look at her in the eye before, afraid she might not feel the same way. "You too what?"

Astrid smiled. "I could finally sleep too."

And she watched as the dragon rider's shoulders dropped from his neck, finally relaxing. "Really?" Hiccup said smiling as he came closer. "My snoring didn't keep you up?"

All too soon, Astrid felt heat rising in her cheeks and butterflies in her stomach every step he took to her but she calmly said, "Pfft. Please. You're not manly enough to snore."

"What do you mean?"

That's been happening a lot lately. Astrid would blush as she felt Hiccup come closer to her or speak to her in an intimate sort of way but she would quickly try to hide it with a calm smile or a witty remark. She couldn't exactly pinpoint the exact moment where she started feeling this way it just sort of gradually happened. As she got know him, Hiccup had this astounding confidence that grew every single day over the past four years that really made Astrid's heart skip a beat at the most random times and puberty didn't help, in fact it made her nerves worse.

"No no it's okay. Snoring's a turn off for me anyway."

What the hell? Did she really just say that?

"Uh, I mean…" _Quick! A witty remark!_ But she couldn't think of one. This time, it couldn't be covered up. Hiccup's cheeks flushed a little pink as they just stared at each other for a moment longer.

Then Astrid cleared her throat. "Anyway," she started walking backwards to hop on her dragon, "To conclude….even though last night was the best sleep I've ever had –"

"Woah woah woah it was the best sleep you've ever had?"

She talked quickly to cover that up too but it was already said and out there and done and man what was wrong with her now? Covering things up used to be so easy. "But it was a mistake and it'll NEVER happen again, okay?"

Hiccup just nodded and now it was Astrid's turn to ignore the little smile that crept on Hiccup's face as she mounted her dragon and flew off into the now early-afternoon sky.

She face-palmed herself when she was out of sight. Gods, did she really just say those words? To her best friend? Not only did she mention one of her _'turn-offs'_ but she said it was the best sleep she's _ever_ had! She only meant to say it was the best sleep she's gotten since the incident. Maybe her mom was right; she really does need to think before speaking. But no matter how hard she slapped herself, she couldn't deny that that _was_ the best sleep she had ever gotten.


End file.
